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July 28, 2011

The Boehner Plan

Commenting on an editorial in Investor's Business Daily, Ed Morrissey notes that by passing the Boehner Plan for raising the debt ceiling Republican House members would put the onus squarely on Senate Democrats to pass a plan of their own right on the eve of the deadline.

Passing Boehner 1.1 puts the onus back on the Democrats in the Senate to produce an alternative, which would be their very first vote on any plan in this crisis. If they pass a Reid plan, then the entire issue goes to a conference committee and we end up with a compromise on the principles of the GOP. If the Senate refuses to act at all, then it’s not the fault of Republicans when the deadline arrives.

Fifty-three Democratic senators have signed a letter to House Speaker John A. Boehner saying they intend to vote against his plan for an increase in the debt ceiling, virtually assuring its defeat in the Senate even as the speaker lines up Republican votes to pass it in the House on Thursday.

Votes are not final until they are cast. But if the Democrats hold to their promise in the letter, Mr. Boehner’s plan for a six-month increase in borrowing authority will not make it to President Obama’s desk.

“We heard that in your caucus you said the Senate will support your bill,” the senators say in the letter. “We are writing to tell you that we will not support it, and give you the reasons why.”

In the letter, the senators argue that a short-term extension of the debt ceiling would “put America at risk” and “could be nearly as disastrous as a default.”

Democrats object because a short-term extension would force them to talk about raising the debt ceiling once again, right before the November 2012 elections. That would be the real disaster. From my perspective, the Boehner Plan is nearly perfect.